El Loro Mexican Restaurant Plans July Opening in Inver Grove Heights

For a third of his life, Alex Gomez has been in the restaurant business. And now that business is bringing him to Inver Grove Heights.

On July 15, Gomez plans to open an El Loro Mexican Restaurant in a strip mall off Blaine Avenue, if the Inver Grove Heights City Council OKs a liquor license at a public hearing scheduled for June 27. The restaurant will likely be located in the space formerly occupied by Baja Sol, Gomez said.

The planned restaurant would be the fourth of its kind in the southern suburbs; Gomez and his brother own two other El Loro eateries in Savage and Burnsville. A third restaurant located in Lakeville closed last year, Gomez said.

The restaurant, Gomez said, will feature a full bar and a number of classic Mexican American dishes, including fajitas, enchiladas, carne asada and more. Gomez also plans to host the occasional special event at the restaurant, like Mariachi band performances. Once it opens, the restaurant in Inver Grove will also feature a 1 to 6pm and 8pm to close happy hour with margarita and beer specials, Gomez said. The restaurant may employ as many as 20 people in full- and part-time positions, Gomez said.

An affable, energetic conversationalist, Gomez is no stranger to the restaurant business. Although he started out working construction, Gomez and his brother Marcos fell in love with restaurants after working at a restaurant owned by their sister. There, Gomez worked his way up through the ranks, busing tables as a server when he was 17. He eventually assumed more difficult roles, tackling kitchen management and finally restaurant ownership when he and Marcos opened their first establishment in Burnsville in 2003.

“I did the painting the roofing and all that stuff, and it just felt like it wasn’t for me,” Gomez said. “I like dealing with customers, I like meeting people.”

His in-depth restaurant experience has endowed Gomez with a ‘sixth sense’ when it comes to dealing with any potential problems or issues in a restaurant, Gomez said. On top of that sixth sense, Gomez also has an entrepreneur’s eye for opportunity.

Although Gomez knew little about Inver Grove Heights when he first opened his Burnsville restaurant, many of his customers recommended that he expand in the city, Gomez said. The restaurant owner saw his chance when Baja Sol at 5689 Blaine Ave. closed its doors.

The 5,300 square foot storefront, located near other large attractions like the AMC movie theatre and Gertens, was the perfect location for El Loro’s newest venture, Gomez decided.

“Inver Grove Heights doesn’t have a Mexican restaurant, so I figure there’s a need for a Mexican restaurant in the city, so [residents] don’t have to drive to West or South St. Paul,” Gomez said.

Gomez is currently renovating the interior of the restaurant and installing kitchen equipment in the building, he said. The restaurant owner said he plans to spend much of time in the upcoming months at the restaurant, greeting new customers and getting to know the community.

“I give love to my restaurants,” Gomez said. “If it doesn’t have [love], it doesn’t feel right.”